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Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Amp

PostPosted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:59 pm
by tssfka
Hi all,

Yes I know it's an often discussed topic but I'd appreciate some technical guidance.

I have a MY07 Liberty 3.0R with a McIntosh PF-2824I and the factory Sat Nav.

I would like to fit my aftermarket Blaupunkt Bremen single DIN head unit (because it has great sound, blueteeth and my McIntosh is refusing to play CDs now).

My questions are:

1. What fascia conversion kit should I get? I have seen the Japanparts ones, are they the best option?

2. Is there anyone that has a spare fascia kit that they are wanting to sell? (I know, very outside chance here)

3. Can I expect to connect the line outs from my Blaupunkt to the McIntosh amp? I've read conflicting posts about whether the inputs to the amp need to be balanced or not.

4. Does the sat nav need the McIntosh head unit to function?

5. Can anyone recommend a steering wheel control adaptor?

Here's photos of my current OEM head unit.

IMG_5986 (Medium).JPG
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CAM00292 (Medium).jpg
CAM00292 (Medium).jpg (97.38 KiB) Viewed 15285 times

Re: Advice please - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:17 pm
by tssfka
Did I ask the wrong questions?...


Anyways, the one question that I would really like to have an answer for concerns the interconnect to the McIntosh amp. Surely some people on here have tried to feed it normal RCA pre-amp signal from an aftermarket HU. Does this work? I'm keen to know because this will govern the budget for a HU replacement and I've seen conflicting information on this and other forums...

Re: Advice please - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:35 pm
by seanmau5
I'd love to help mate but I don't have any experience with the McIntosh and sat nav...

I know I've read somewhere about someone making a loom to run from an aftermarket HU to the amp.. The easiest thing to do would be to replace the amp as well.

Edit - in regards to the fascia, yes, you can't go past the fit and finish of the JDM fascia kits.

Re: Advice please - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU

PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:45 am
by tssfka
Okay I forged ahead on my own and have now got my aftermarket head unit installed and running through the OEM Mac amp and speakers. For the benefit of those that come after me, yes you can definitely run a normal head unit with amp pre-out to the Mac amp.

I used a Metra fascia kit that I modded to suit climate controls instead of the simple a/c, which was a bit of a mission but it was staggeringly cheap compared to the JDM option so I had to try. It came out OK but isn't cosmetically finished yet, I'll post some pics when it's done.

The wiring is almost plug and play. I made a patch harness between the car and head unit but had to mod the Mac harness because the 20 pin connector to the amp is so hard to get. I cut the pig tail off the Mac and soldered in some rca connectors to match my hu pre-amp outputs. I've got the pin outs for the harness still so I will post them shortly. The car can thus be restored to OEM with some minor soldering to re attach the pig tail when required.

I also installed a Connects2 steering wheel adaptor that works perfectly so I have almost retained the factory features. The only thing I have left to do is get the nav audio running through my head unit. I have found the nav audio pins coming out of the day nav screen unit but so far haven't successfully found the signal pin to mute the music and allow the nav announcement.

If anyone knows which pin from the nav screen unit is the mute switch, please let me know.

I will post some pics of my install and pin outs for the Mac head unit harness later.

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 6:12 pm
by HoFF
Got a link for the swc harness you used?

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 1:06 am
by tssfka
The swc adaptor is a Connects2 CTSSU001.2.

Details are here http://www.connects2.co.uk/ProductInformation.aspx?id=10790&p=CTSSU001.2

It is listed for the Foz but the swc are exactly the same as the my07 Berty and they work perfectly. You can get the adaptor on eBay, just make sure to select a patch lead for the brand of head unit you have, they are manufacturer specif

The eBay listing for mine with a Blaupunkt lead is here http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/400591637028?var=670153392662&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Re: Advice please - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU

PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:16 pm
by GTbee
tssfka wrote:I will post some pics of my install and pin outs for the Mac head unit harness later.


I look forward to this.

What is the amp output of the McIntoss amp? I have an after market head unit lying around with 52W X 4.

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:40 am
by tssfka
I don't know what the power rating for the OEM amp is but remember you should be connecting low level, pre-amp type outputs only to the amp. You should not connect speaker outputs to the amp.

The pin outs for the Mac head unit, looking at the female connector on the pig tail at the back of the head unit are as follows. I've also noted the wire colour for the writes in the pigtail, in case you want to clip it off and use it as I did.

mcintoshdinplug18pin.th.jpg
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.......1...2...3
..4...5...6...7...8
..9.10.11.12.13
14.15.16.17.18
.....19.....20
..........|_|

1 Ground copper shield
2 Subwoofer + dark blue
3 Subwoofer - dark green

4 Rear Left + yellow
5 Rear Left – red
6 Ground copper shield
7 Front Right + orange
8 Front Right – light green

9 NC grey
10 NC brown
11 Ground copper shield
12 NC no wire
13 NC no wire

14 Rear Right + pink
15 Rear Right – purple
16 Amp Remote Turn-On light blue
17 Front Left + white
18 Front Left – black

19 NC no wire
20 NC no wire

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:57 am
by tssfka
Also, the nav unit sends guidance audio to the OEM head unit via a 20 pin rectangular connector that attaches into the back of the macintosh head unit.
I have found that the nav audio is on the pins on the far left of the connector, looking at the harness connector (not on the back of the head unit), as below.

20pinconnector.JPG
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..1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9.10
11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20

1 nav audio +
11 nav audio -

EDIT pin out for audio -ve was wrong, should be 11.

These are low level outputs, not speaker outputs.

I cannot however find the pin for muting the radio for the nav audio to play. If anyone knows which pin this is I would be grateful to know.

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 1:02 am
by tssfka
The single DIN fascia kit I used is here.

http://www.metraonline.com/part/Subaru_Legacy_Dash_kit_99-8901

I bought it from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Metra-99-8901-Installation-2005-2007-Excluding/dp/B000LU9QD6/ref=au_as_r?ie=UTF8&Make=Subaru%7C13&Model=Legacy%7C64&Year=2007%7C2007&carId=001&n=1077068&newCar=1&s=car&vehicleType=automotive

I cut out the gauge area and glued in some clear acrylic. Then I cut out holes to suit the climate controllers from my car, using the Mac fascia as a template. I then sprayed the whole lot black, masking off the window area over the climate control display.
I haven't finished it yet, still needs some final touch ups and the emergency hazard light switch needs to be mounted on the left, the metra kit put it on the right which doesn't work.
Will post a few pics when it's done.

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:16 pm
by GTbee
So, going by this there is no need to access the amp under the passenger seat. Which is a good thing as you have said it would be hard to get to. If I'm reading this right, it there is a long cable that runs from under the seat to the middle of the dash behind the stock HU, joining with the DIN cable.

As I would be looking an an somewhat temporary installation, it seems that it is easier to wire pre amp outs from the after market head unit I have to the Mac amp rather than run speaker outputs direct to all speakers in the car, and bypass the Mac amp.

Referring to the the pin outs on the female DIN plug, what is the abbreviation NC (at 9 and 10) stand for?

Is is fairly easy to work out the other wires for power supply (normally red), constant power (normally yellow), earth (black) and dash light dimming (normally orange) ?

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:12 pm
by tssfka
Correct, the connections between the McIntosh head unit and amp are via the 20 pin connector and interconnect cable that can be left in place if you are using the Mc amp with your new head unit.

Connections for the PF-2824I are as below.

PF-2824I-back.JPG
PF-2824I-back.JPG (236.46 KiB) Viewed 14988 times


My abbreviation "NC" stands for "Not Connected".

The power and steering wheel controls are on a different connector which is a standard Subaru 14 pin connector, without the speaker wires though. I used an Aerpro connector from Supercheap to plug into the 14 pin connector and wire up the power and steering wheel controls. Ignore the speaker wires on the Aerpro harness and you get battery 12v (yellow), accessory/ignition 12v (red), ground (black), illumination (orange) and the steering wheel controls. Note that the harness in the car also has a variable voltage illumination signal for the adjustment of the dash light dimming however most aftermarket head units only want the constant voltage, lights on/off indication. I'll post the pin outs when I can find the paper I wrote them on...

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:49 pm
by bigBADbenny
Outstanding! :)

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 4:12 pm
by Brunsy3.0
Good effort man, looks like a bit of work, but worth it in the end, also am interested in the final result of that fascia

I have a friend of a friend looking to install an aftermarket HU in their outback and they wired the speaker wires straight into the white factory plug which by what you say is for the satnav, so i will have to have a word to him about it and maybe see if we can fix it up a bit better haha, its so dodgy atm i was shocked when i looked at it, he said it has stopped working and am hoping he hasnt overloaded anything as he didnt use any RCA preouts

Re: Solved - Liberty 3.0R MY07 with Aftermarket HU to Mac Am

PostPosted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:56 am
by tssfka
I should explain.

The white factory plug is not connected to the speakers in my car.

The mcintosh head unit has two input connectors, one is the white factory plug with 14 pins that carries the power and steering wheel controls, the other is a black rectangular connector from the satnav with 20 pins that carries the satnav audio.

The head unit has a round pig tail connector with 20 pins that goes to the factory amp carrying low level pre-amp audio and a remote amp turn on.

The speakers connect to the amp under the passenger seat.